Hospital bedpan mattress



Jan. 9, 1951 OVER HOSPITAL BEDPAN MATTRESS Filed Nov. 26, 1945 Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a hospital bedpan mattress and has for an object to provide an arrangement of mattress and bedpan whereby the patient may be taken care of from either side of the bed,.which is an important point in hospital care.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of this character in which the patient does not need. to. be moved at all in either changing or using the bedpan, and one in which the bedpan unit may be used in the middle of the bed for fracture cases or paralytics, and on one side of the bed in operative cases.

Other objects are to provide a construction and arrangement in which it is easier to keep the unit sanitary, the mattress is easier to handle, the mattress can be turned and used on either side, the pan is available at all times without its being necessary to move anything, the amount of bed linen necessary is reduced, and all parts can be changed readily, and, except for the two small pieces of mattress or pads at each side of the pan, standard linen can be used.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the device is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan view of my improved mat.- tress and bedpan arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section substantially on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section substantially on line3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cover of the bedpan container;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom or bodyportion of the bedpan container;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of this container with the cover or body parts assembled, and

Fig. '7 is a section similar to Fig. 3 showing a somewhat modified arrangement.

The mattress is made in three sections, the head section 10, the central section ii, and the foot section !2, the central section ll separating the two end sections It and I 2. This central section comprises two pads l3 and it of the same thickness as the sections it and i2, but separated by a container or support !5 for the bedpan Hi.

This container is preferably a hollow box of metal open at its opposite ends toward the sides use of the pillow-slip type of cover.

of the-mattress for insertion and removal of the bedpan, and is provided with an opening I! of any desired shape in its top wall. It is preferably ofsubstantially the shape shown. This container is preferably made in two pieces, as shown, comprising the cover I 3 and the bottom or body portion [9. The portion is comprises a bottom wall 253, and upright end walls 2 I, and to add strength and stiffness upright flanges 22 are provided along the side edges between the end walls. The

cover l8 has downwardly extending flanges 23 at its opposite ends to overlap the upper edges of the end walls 2! of the body or base member, and along its opposite edges is provided with upright flanges 24 to add strength and stiffness and also to help retain in position the pad or cushion 25 or 26, to be more fully described a littlelater. The flanges 23 are extended over the opposite ends of the members 2|, as shown at 21, to retain the cover in place, as indicated in Fig. 6. This hollow box or container is of less height than the thickness of the mattress, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7, and the thickness is made up by a pad or cushion 25 or 26 on the top of the container,

and this pad or cushion is provided with an opening 28 through it over the opening I! in the container, and preferably of a similar size and shape. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this pad or cushion is shown as an inflatable rubber cushion with the end toward the foot of the bed separated or divided, as indicated at 29, for the purpose of allowing the In Fig. 7 this cushion is shown as a sponge rubber cushion of the same shape. The cushion is preferably about three inches thick and is of generally ring shape to fit the top of the bedpan box or container, and will correspond generally to the top of the box in shape and size and corresponding opening.

Generally the container is placed in the intermediate position, as shown in the drawing, with the open ends toward the sides, which are thus closed by the two pads l3 and M. In using the pan, one of the cushions or pads I3 or M is'rer moved, then the bedpan [6 may be slipped into the c'ontainer'through the open end to the position under the openings 41 and 28, as indicated, for use, or it may be left in the container and removed at regular intervals by removing one of the pads 13 or It, then withdrawing the pan from the container. The pad 25 or 26 provides the necessary cushioning under the patient between him and the container, and permits use of the pan asindicated. The upturned flanges-24 at'the open ends ofthe containergive it increased stiffness and strength, so that it will not collapse under the weight of the patient, and they will also retain the pad or cushion in position. The sections lil, l2, l3 and it may be of the usual mattress constructions, such, for example, as the usual cloth covers enclosing fibre filling or padding.

There are numerous advantages of this construction and arrangement over the old, a few of which are as follows: The patient can be taken care of from either side of the bed, an important point in hospital care; the patient does not need to be moved at all, either in changing or using the bedpan, an important feature in paralytic cases or with other patients whom it is difficult or impossible to move readily, for using the bedpan; it is easier to keep the unit sanitary, and the mattress is easier to handle because it is in small pieces; the mattress can be turned and used on either side; the bedpan unit can be used in the middle of the bed for fracture cases or paralytics, or, if desired, one or the pads H3 or i i and the bedpan unit can be removed, then the pad inserted in the central position and the bedpan container or unit inserted in the side position where the pad was, and thus the pan may be used on either side for operative cases. The bedpan unit as a whole and the pads i3 and is may be removed should the circumstances make it advisable, and a straight piece of mattress extending the whole width of the bed may be inserted in their place, forming the whole mattress into a plain three-piece mattress. The pan is available at all times without its being necessary to remove anything, the necessary amount of bed linen is reduced, as any part can be readily changed, and except for the two small pads is and is at each side of the pan, standard linen can be used. Standard draw sheets will be adequate for the mattress sections it and 2.

The proportions are preferably such that the bed spring hinge line of the hospital type bed is about at the dotted lines 38.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

l. A hospital mattress comprising a plurality .of sections including head, foot and intermediate sections, said interme iate section comprising a container for a bedpan and pads on the opposite sides thereof filling in the space between the head and foot sections, said container comprising a box including top, bottom and end walls and provided with an opening the top wall, the side walls being open for insertion of a bedpan to a position under said opening, said container being of less height than the head and foot sections and provided with upright flanges along the opposite side edges 01" the top wall to give it suificient strength and stiffness to support the weight of a patient above it, and a cushion supported on the top Wall of sufiicient thickness to fill in the diiierence in height between the container and the top of the mattress and provided with an opening over the first opening.

2. A hospital mattress comprising a plurality of sections including head, foot and intermediate sections, said intermediate section comprising a container for a bedpan and pads on the opposite sides thereof filling in the space between the head and foot sections, said container comprising a box including a lower or body portion and a cover therefor, said body portion including a bottom and upright end walls to engage the head and foot sections of the mattress and the bottom wall being provided with upright flanges along its op- 4 posite side edges, said cover comprising a top wall provided with an opening therethrough and including downwardly extending flanges to overlap the upper edges of the end walls of the body portion and provided with upright flanges along the side edges of the top wall to add strength and stiffness to the cover, said container when the cover is in place being open on its opposite sides for insertion of bedpan to a position under the opening in the top wall, said container being of less height than the head and foot sections of the mattress, and a cushion supported on the top wall of sufficient thickness to fill in the difference in height between the container and the top of the mattress and provided with an opening over the first opening.

3. A hospital mattress comprising a plurality of sections including head, foot and intermediate sections of substantially the same thickness and each comprising padding in fabric cover or casing, the intermediate section being between the head and foot sections and comprising a container for a bedpan forming a part of this section a pad construction filling in the space between the head and foot sections, said container being provided with an opening in its top wall and open on one side accessible from one side edge of the mattress for insertion of a bedpan to a position under said top opening, said container being of less height than the head and foot sections of the mattress, and a cushion on top of the container fil ing the space between the container and the top of the mattress between the head and foot sections provided with an opening over the first opening.

4. A hospital mattress comprising a plurality of sections including head, foot and intermediate sections of substantially the same thickness and each comprising padding in a fabric cover or casing, said intermediate section comprising a container for a pedpan and pads on the opposite sides thereof extending between and filling in the space between the head and foot sections, said container comprising a box including top, bottom and end walls and provided with an opening in the top wall, the side walls being open for insertion of a bedpan to a position under said opening and each accessib e from a side edge of the mattress, said container being of less height than the head and foot sections, and a cushion supported on the top wall of sufficient thickness to fill in the space left by the difference in height between the container and the top of the mattress between the head. and foot sections and provided with an opening over the first opening.

5. A bedpan container for a hospital mattress of the character described comprising a lower or body portion adapted to be placed. in and form part of one section of a mattress comprising a plurality of sections and a cover therefor, said body portion comprising a bottom wall and spaced upright end walls and provided with upright flanges along the opposite side edges of the bottom wall between the end walls to strengthen the bottom wall and form means to retain a bed pan within the body portion, the cover being supported on the end walls and provided with an opening therein of a size and shape to permit use of a bedpan within the container, downwardly extending flanges at the ends of the cover overlapping the upper edges of the end walls of the body, and upright strengthening flanges along the opposite side edges of the cover and forming means for retaining a cushion in position on said top wall over the opening, said container being 5 open on at least one side for insertion and removal of a bedpan to and from a position under Number the opening 1n the cover. 1,761,662

LOUISE! OVER. 5

Number REFERENCES CITED mm The following references are of record in the 43,639 file of this patent: 08

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Cameron Feb. 12, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Sweden Jan. 14, 1911 Switzerland July 5, 1909 France May 28, 1903 

